British 1st army

Historian Gordon Lucy examines why General Ludendorff asked for a truce with Allied powers on October 3,1918 In June 1918 Richard von Kühlmann, Germany’s secretary of state for foreign affairs, told the Reichstag: “An absolute end to the war can hardly be expected through purely military decisions alone, unaccompanied by diplomatic negotiations.” By this he meant that the war could not be ended by arms alone, implying that it would require diplomacy to secure peace. His realism was disregarded and, at the prompting of the German High Command, earned him the sack.The Allied counter-attack at Chateau-Thierry (often referred to as the Second Battle of the Marne) on July 18 by the 1st and 2nd US Divisions and the French Army’s Moroccan Division which dislodged the Germans from very strongly entrenched positions underscored the validity of Kühlmann’s analysis.At the beginning of August General Erich Ludendorff still thought it was possible to … [Read more...] about German army’s ‘stab in the back’ was a myth. They had to settle for peace after WWI

Historian GORDON LUCY on the events of 100 years ago that marked a turning point in the Great War Eric Ludendorff, First Quartermaster General of the German Army, made light of the United States’ entry into the Great War, believing that the Americans could not put an effective army in the field until 1919, an assessment which the Americans actually shared. By then, Ludendorff calculated that Germany would have already won the war. As late as July 1918 Germany’s position still seemed formidable. In the west the Germans were threatening Paris and in the east they held huge tracts of eastern Europe including Russian Poland, Ukraine (one of the most fertile regions of the world) and the Baltic states.The strategic failure of the German offensive of March 1918 did not appear to register with Ludendorff. This is evidenced by a letter (dated May 21 1918) to Hans von Seeckt, the chief of staff on the Caucasian front, in which Ludendorff contended: ‘There is the hope that we … [Read more...] about German Army’s ‘black day’ turned expected victory into certain defeat in WWI

A woman who was stranded for four days after shattering her pelvis hiking in the US wilderness was forced to drink her own urine to survive. Claire Nelson, 35, who holds both British and New Zealand citizenship, was hiking in Joshua Tree National Park in the Californian desert when she slipped off a boulder and fell 15 feet. Ms Nelson was on holiday in California cat-sitting for a friend, meaning no one knew that she had gone for the hike. She also had no phone signal, so was unable to raise the alarm. Read more Woman spots missing husband in car park 10 years after he disappeared Mystery after German man disappears leaving belongings on coastal path Autistic British man missing in Australia With the scorching hot weather in the desert shining down on her she had to fashion a curtain from a stick and a plastic bag to stop sunburn. She also soon ran out of water and had to drink urine to stay hydrated. After she had been stranded for four days and … [Read more...] about British citizen who shattered pelvis while hiking survives for four days by drinking urine

British-born actor Cornelia Frances, best known for her role in the Australian soap opera Home and Away, has died aged 77. Ms Frances, who played Morag Bellingham in the long-running series, revealed earlier this year she was fighting cancer. Born in Liverpool, she became a stalwart of the small screen after moving to Australia. Read more Home and Away actress dies following Boxing Day crash During a six-decade career, she also hosted the Australian version of The Weakest Link and acted in films and theatre. Her death was announced by Home and Away broadcaster, the Seven Network, which described her as "a unique person." It said: Her on screen presence inspired a generation of actors. This gift was coupled with an ability to bring a sense of dignity and presence into each room she entered. Her energy and character will be missed.” Ray Meagher, who played Frances’ on screen brother Alf Stewart, said: … [Read more...] about Cornelia Frances death: British-born Home and Away actress dies aged 77

EIMAR BARR was born and grew up in Moville in Inishowen. He is now retired in Pound Ridge, just north of New York City. He is currently researching and writing a book about his two granduncles, William James Barr and Hugh Barr, both from Moville, who fought and died in the First World War. What follows is Hugh’s story. I, along with my brothers Harry and Ciaran, will attend the centenary commemoration of the Battle of Cantigny. There, in a small French village, we will honour the memory of both American and German soldiers, and, in particular, our granduncle, Private Hugh Barr, Company G, 26th Infantry Regiment, United States Army.It was around midday on Saturday, October 3, 1914, when Hugh Barr, a young man of twenty years, suitcase in hand, stepped out the front door of his home on the Malin Road in Moville. His mother, Catherine, and his younger brother, Willie, wept. Harry, his older brother, in charge of the family tailoring business since the untimely death of their father … [Read more...] about A son of Moville, the US Army and a mother’s World War I agony